Barn cleaner mechanism



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 4, 1957 INVENTOR. @wrr Sr, BAWKE fl f Dec. 23, 1958 H. ST. PIERRE BARN CLEANER MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 4, 1957 mm mm M 9 r I M "a United States Patent BARN CLEANER MECHANISM Henry St. Pierre, Worcester, Mass. Application February 4, 1957, Serial No. 638,105

2 Claims. (Cl. 198-176) This invention relates to a new and improved cleat mechanism particularly adapted for a barn cleaner, and the principal object of the invention resides in the provision of means making the cleat stronger and simpler in nature by providing a novel forged link connection between the chain which travels the cleats and the cleat itself.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a novel wear shoe for the cleat which may be hardened in order to avoid wearing down of the bearing surfaces thereof too rapidly.

Another object of the invention includes the provision of a cleat of the class described which may be used to extend either radially of a drive or idle wheel or at a right angle to the axis thereof at the periphery, so that the chain and cleats attached thereto may move in three dimensions rather than in only a two-dimension surface.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the invention, partly being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the wear-plate;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the device, parts being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the device, looking in the direction of arrow 5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation illustrating the device in operation;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the device in operation;

Fig. 8 is a plan view on a reduced scale thereof;

Fig. 9 illustrates the device in operation with respect to a drive wheel and showing the cleat at right angles to the plane thereof.

The present invention is shown as applied to the cleat of a barn cleaner which includes a tapered U-shaped inverted hollow cleat generally indicated at 10, the same being adapted to be drawn along as by a chain 12 to clean the gutter in a barn in a manner which will be clear to those skilled in the art.

The cleat 10 is provided at its larger end with a wearplate and fastener device best shown in Fig. 2 and which comprises a forging including a plate 14, said plate having laterally extending ears 16 at one end thereof and a generally central internally threaded upstanding boss 18.

This device is placed within the cleat at the wide end thereof, with the ears 16 projecting outwardly as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 and the cleat 10 is provided with an aperture as at 20 for alignment with the screw-threaded aperture 22 in the boss 18 for the reception of a bolt or the like 24 as seen in Fig. 4.

A special novel forged member generally indicated at 26 is provided with legs 23 which straddle the cleat in i the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 5. This member is provided with a generally flat top surface 30 which is apertured as at 32, see Fig.4, to receive the bolt 24 passing therethrough and connecting the same to the boss 18, with th'e'cleat clamped between the two members, i. e. the boss 18 and the special member 26.

The member 26 is forged with a link-like integral part generally indicated at 34 and it will be seen in Figs. 1 and 3 that this link member is provided with eyes 36 at the ends thereof for reception of adjoining links 38 of the chain 12. The links 38 may be detachable links by which means the cleat is inserted in the chain and easily detached therefrom without the necessity of removing bolt 24. However, the cleat and the wear-plate member 14 may be removed from the member 26 and also from the chain by removing bolt 24, access to which is provided by terminating the link member 34 at 4%), 40 while leaving the opposite side of the link member 34 in the form of a side run of a regular link as indicated at 42.

It must be noted that the entire member 26 including the legs 28 and the link member 34 comprises one solid, forged member which is very strong. By reason of the connection thereof by bolt 24 to plate 14 through boss 18, an extremely strong and rigid construction is provided which, however, is easy for the operator to disconnect and to replace when required.

Referring now to Fig. 6 there is shown a drive or idle wheel 44 mounted upon a hub or the like 46 for rotation on an axis. This wheel 44 is provided with a peripheral annular groove 48 which accommodates the portion of the device 26 which is shown as a side run of a link 34 at 42.

With the chain 12 turned about the periphery of wheel 44 in the manner of Figs. 6 and 7, the cleat 14) extends radially outwardly as the chain 12 passes about the wheel. The link portion 42 extends into the groove 48 and is guided and held thereby as the cleat 10 scrapes the surface indicated at 50.

However, due to the construction of the novel member 26 and its relationship to the cleat 10, the wheel 44 may also receive the chain at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 6. In this case, the runs 52 of the respective links of the chain 12 are received in the groove 48 but the link side run member 42 is not so received. In this case, the entire upper surface of the link member 34 rides on the periphery of the wheel 44 as indicated by the reference numeral 54, in the same manner that the links of the chain 12 adjacent to the chain link member 34 rode on the periphery in the showing of Figs. 6 and 7.

It will be seen that this invention provides a much stronger and less expensively manufactured cleat attaching and device therefor for barn cleaners and other applications as may be desirable. The number of parts has been greatly reduced and these parts have been strengthened by forging them. The device also has an increase range of utility due to the fact that it may be used in relation to the pulleys either radially or at right angles thereto, i. e. parallel to the axis thereof. I

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising a cleat,

said cleat being U-shaped in cross section and inverted,

a chain for traveling said cleat, means connecting the chain thereto, said means comprising a member within the cleat and a member exterior of the cleat, said exterior member including legs straddling the cleat and an integrally forged, partial chain link thereon and extending transversely of the cleat, and a fastener extending through the exterior member, through the cleat, and into the interior member, the latter extending from the closed end 2,865,493 Patented Dec. 23, 1958.

3 of the U-shaped cleat to the open end thereof and acting as-a wear-shoe. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said integrally forged chain link is providedwith end portions forming eyes for the application of chain links thereto, and including a complete side run, the opposite side run thereof being interrupted at one side thereof for access to said fastener.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Weichseldorfer Mar. 19, 1912 Wilson Feb. 2, 1926 Vodoz July 21, 1953 Klinzing Nov. 22, 1955 Klinzing Oct. 30, 1956 

